Cream-ripener.



No. 808,319. PATENTED DEC.26,1905. T. L. VALBRIUS.

CREAM RIPENER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1904.

UNTTFU STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE L. VALERIUS, OF FORT Ar `K1NSON, VISCONSTN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CREAMERY PACKAGE MFG. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOTS, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOS.

CREAMNRIPENER Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed September 13, 1904. Serial No, 224,325.

To (LZ/Z whom, it 71mg/ concern,.-

Be it known that I, Tnnooonn L. VALE- RrUs, of Fort Atkinson, Jefferson county,Wis consin, have invented a certain new, useful, and Improved Cream-Ripener, of which the following is a specification..

My invention relates to means for employment in the art of butter-making, and has special reference to cream-ripeners such as are used in large dairies.

The object of my invention is to provide a cream-ripener that shall be capable of handling large quantities of cream and of so handling the same that the entire body of cream may be reduced to a condition of uniform consistency and temperature as contrasted with the condition of the cream in a ripener of ordinary construction; and, further, my invention relates to an improvement or modification of the cream-ripener which is shown and described in my pending application entitled Creamripeners, filed August 29, 1904, Serial No. 222,578.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a cream-ripener which, like that disclosed in the application above mentioned, shall be capable of circulating and agitating its contents, but which shall be of more simple construction and of less cost.

My invention consists generally in a cream-ripener comprising a vat which contains or has fluid-tempered walls in combination with a rotary propeller or spiral of large superficial area arranged in said vat adapted to operate upon the cream contained in the vat and circulate the same between the fluidtempered walls, whereby many lots of cream of various kinds and conditions may be reduced to the same consistency and temperature and, further, whereby said consistency and temperature may be maintained as desired for any -length of time. i

My invention consists, further, in various details of construction and in combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional planview of a creamripener embodying my invention, showing the spiral cream smoothing and propelling device and also disclosing the water-spaces or hollow walls of the vat. Fig. 2 is a vertical section substantially on the line a: of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the line y y of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the vat. This when made of wood is provided with a lining 3 of sheet metal, preferably tin. l preferably leave a space 4; beneath the lining in the bottom of the vat. This space is usually an air-space; but, if desired, a tempering fluid may be circulated therein.

5 5 represent cross-pieces for supporting the bottom of the vat-lining.

The ends of the vat contain bearings 6 for the shaft 7. 8 is a drive-pulley for rotating same. The stuffing-boxes 9 prevent leakage through the bearings 6. The shaft 7 is provided with a deep spiral thread or flange 10, the surfaces of which are as nearly as possible made perfectly smooth. The thread is uninterrupted and unbroken from end to end. It is preferably made from sheet-tin or tinned copper and is riveted and soldered to the copper sheath 11 on the shaft 7. The thread or flange is solid and not hollow, as in the case of the ripener shown in the aforesaid application` The spiral may be midway on the shaft g but I prefer that it shall extend nearer the head end A of the vat than to the opposite end. The spiral is rotated in the direction of the arrow and when so rotated drives or circulates the central portion of the contents of the vat toward said head end.

'The vat is divided into channels or compartments by walls or partitions 12, one on each side of the propeller, and the cream which is driven forward at the center of the vat is 'compelled to return to the rear end B through the outer channels or passages 13. These passages are preferably of such size that together they exceed the capacity of the middle or spiral containing-channel O. The middle channel C should be larger than the spiral to avoid churning the cream between the spiral and the adjacent walls. The walls or partitions 12 are of less length than the vat, leaving eXit and entrance spaces A and B at their ends.

For the purpose of cooling the contents of the vat I make the walls of the vat double throughout, thereby providing the Waterspaces 2 2 and 13 13. To each space I con- IOO nect supply and overflow or return pipes 14 and 15, there being two pipes for each 'fluidspace or hollow wall. Suitable means (not shown) are employed for supplying either het water or cold water or brine to the waterspaces .as required 'for the carrying out of the process of ripening cream. To equalize the temperature of the luid contained in the hollow tempering-walls of the vat, I prefer that the supply and return pipes shall enter and leave the bottom of the space in each case. The spaces, trunks, or hollow walls may be divided by partitions or baffles, which will cause the tempering fluid to follow definite courses therein, but as the arrangement of the supply and overflow pipes herein shown produces substantially the same result I usually omit the baffles or partitions. The hollow walls extend above the level of the cream in the vat.

As shown, the vat is preferably provided. with a cover to exclude atmospheric odors and insects.

The operation of my invention is as 'follows: The cream, usually gathered cream, is placed in the ripener as 'fast as it arrives at the creamery. The long spiral propeller is started into motion when enough cream has accumulated in the vat to partly immerse the spiral. From that time on the spiral operates to rapidly circulate the cream in the vat and to set up many conflicting currents therein, thereby producing a violent boiling action, which. tends to liberate the deleterious vapors and gases, which if retained in the cream would lessen the value of the butter produced therefrom. The agitation and circulation of the cream caused has the Yfurther and important effect of thoroughly mixing the many lots of cream which go to make up the body as a whole and soon reduces the body of mass of cream to a condition or state of uniform consistency, temperature, and acidity. The grasp of the long `spiral upon the body of cream is such that when the spiral is rotated it moves the body rapidly and yet so gently that it has no tendency to beat or churn the cream. rIhe exposure ofthe cream to the moving surfaces of the spiral results in smoothing out or breaking up all clots or lumps and leathery particles existing in the mass, thereby greatly aiding the process of making the cream uniform throughout. During the early operation of the spiral cold water or brine is passed through the tempering-walls and the temperature of the body of cream moving between said walls is quickly reduced. The resulting low temperature is maintained until the constant movement and mixing of the cream and the action of the spiral thereon has made the cream smooth 01 velvety and of uniform consistency, temperature, and acidity. The cream is then ready to receive the starting fluid, which is added to the body and thoroughly mixed or emulsilied therewith by the action of the rapidly-rotating spiral. As soon as it is thought that the starter and cream have been thoroughly emulsi'fled in other words, as soon as all portions of the body of cream have been caused to assume substantially the same specific gravitythe temperature of the water in the hollow walls is raised to increase the temperature of the body of cream and accelerate the Vfermentation or ripening thereof. The spiral may continue to operate at the same or less speed throughout the ripening period, and when the cream has been thoroughly fermented or ripened and it is to be made ready for the churn the temperature is reduced by continuing the circulating operation and chilling the flowing contents of the tempering-walls.

My invention may, obviously, be embodied in a vat having fewer or more channels or compartments. Likewise two or more spi,- ral propellers or smoothers may be used. If desired, the walls or partitions 13 may be made in sections with intermediate openings between the sections to facilitate the mixing of the cream.. falls or partitions composed of a large number of tubes may be substituted 'for the trunk-like walls here shown. It is obvious that still vfurther modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art. For this reason I do not confine my invention to the specific constructions herein shown and described.

I'Iaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A cream-ripener, comprising a vat, provided with tempering walls, and divided .into a plurality of communicating horizontal channels or courses, in combination with a long spiral propeller, arranged for rotation in one of said channels or courses, to circulate the cream in said channels, substantially as described.

2. In a cream ripener, a vat, provided with a cover, in combination with a shorter tempering wall or walls, dividing said vat into two or more horizontal communicating courses or channels and a long spiral cream smoothing and propelling device arranged upon a shaft extending longitudinally of one of said courses, said courses being in the same horizontal plane, substantially as described.

3. In a cream ripener, a vat, provided with external and intermediate fluid-tempered walls, said intermediate walls being of less length than said external walls, and dividing the vat into a plurality of courses or channels, in combination with a long spiral cream smoothing and propelling device arranged for rotation upon a horizontal axis in one of said courses, and means for supplying and discharging tempering fluid to and from ICO I ing water-tempered walls and provided with a short intermediate wall, also water-tempered, and a long spiral propeller adapted to rotate between two Water-tempered walls, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a cream-ripener, a vat having waterspaces and water-circulating means, in combination with short, intermediate walls in said vat and a long horizontal spiral propeller arranged for rotation between said intermediate walls, substantially as described.

In witness whereor` I have hereunto set my hand, this 6th day of September, 1904, at

VFort Atkinson, Jefferson county, Wisconsin,

in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE L. VALERIUS. Witnesses:

A. I. KYLE,

CHAs. W. FERRIs. 

